IN a major advance for infectious disease treatment, researchers from Monash University and The Alfred have developed a bespoke phage therapy product that uses bacterial viruses, known as ‘bacteriophages’, to combat a highly problematic, antimicrobial resistant bacteria.
The treatment, named Entelli-02, is a five-phage cocktail designed specifically to target Enterobacter cloacae complex (ECC), a group of bacteria responsible for severe, often difficult-to-treat infections.
The study, published in Nature Microbiology, was led by Professor Jeremy J. Barr from the Monash University School of Biological Sciences, with Professor Anton Peleg from the Department of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred and Monash University. It represents a new approach for precision medicine in hospitals battling antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
“This is the first time we’ve designed and developed a clinical-ready phage therapy product tailored to an AMR bacterial pathogen at a local hospital,” said Professor Barr. “Entelli-02 is not just a scientific achievement, it’s a clinical tool built for frontline use against deadly, drug-resistant, bacterial pathogens.
“This is a blueprint for how hospitals can respond to AMR outbreaks with precision therapies.”